The Licensing and Safety Committee of Bury Council was scheduled to consider updates on operational matters within the Licensing Service, alongside proposed amendments to policies concerning written-off vehicles and emissions standards for Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles. The committee was also scheduled to address the suspension or revocation of public and private hire driver licences.

Operational Report

The committee was scheduled to receive an operational report from the Executive Director (Corporate Core) detailing recent activities within the Licensing Service. This report was expected to provide an overview of compliance and enforcement actions taken concerning both licensed vehicles and premises. It was scheduled to include data on various enforcement actions, such as those related to damaged vehicles, drug-related concerns, driver conduct, and issues with licensed premises like non-payment of annual fees or operating without a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS). The report was also scheduled to mention any Licensing Hearings Sub-Committees that had taken place and any immediate suspensions of drivers.

Amendment to Written-Off Vehicle Policy

A significant item on the agenda was the proposed amendment to the Council's policy regarding written-off vehicles. The report was scheduled to outline options for amending the policy to potentially permit the licensing of Category N (non-structural damage) and Category S (structural damage) vehicles. This would be subject to stringent independent inspection and certification requirements, including reports from members of the Institute of Automotive Engineer Assessors (IAEA) and potentially Autolign inspections. The report was scheduled to detail the rationale for this proposed change, including benchmarking against other Greater Manchester authorities, and to highlight potential benefits such as supporting affordability for licensed drivers and the viability of local taxi and private hire businesses. The report was scheduled to recommend approving Option 2, which would permit the licensing of Category N and S vehicles subject to safeguards, and to recommend this revised policy for adoption by the Full Council.

Amendment of Transitional Arrangements for Emissions Standards

The committee was also scheduled to consider amendments to the transitional arrangements for existing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire vehicles concerning emissions standards. The report was scheduled to address the current deadline of 4 January 2027 for replacing non-compliant vehicles. It was scheduled to propose an extension of this deadline to 31 May 2027. This extension was proposed in light of the recent availability of the Greater Manchester Private Hire Support Fund, with the aim of providing proprietors with sufficient time to apply for funding, source replacement vehicles, and complete the licensing process. The report was scheduled to recommend this amendment to the Licensing and Safety Committee for approval and subsequent recommendation to the Full Council.

Suspension/Revocation of Driver Licences

Finally, the committee was scheduled to consider a report concerning the suspension or revocation of public and private hire driver licences. This item was scheduled to be considered in private session, with the press and public excluded, due to the likely disclosure of exempt information relating to individuals.